Copyright offshore-energy
Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram has extended a “successful and productive” collaboration with K-Water, the Korean company behind the “world’s largest” tidal power facility at Sihwa Lake. The memorandum of agreement (MoA), first signed three years ago, is supporting the Combined Authority’s plans to harness the tidal power potential of the River Mersey. According to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA), the Mersey tidal power project could generate up to a gigawatt of clean, predictable electricity at low production costs, while creating thousands of jobs and strengthening UK energy security and the net-zero transition. The two-year extension was signed by Mayor Rotheram, LCRCA Chief Executive Katherine Fairclough, and K-Water Executive Vice-President Jang Byeong-hoon on Wednesday in Liverpool. The Mayor said the partnership has played an important role in sharing technical knowledge and shaping development plans. “Building the UK’s first tidal scheme is a complex business, but our collaboration with K-Water has been a genuine partnership of shared learning and ambition,” said Rotheram. “Over the past three years, we’ve benefited enormously from their world-leading expertise in tidal power – experience that has helped shape and strengthen our own plans for Mersey Tidal Power.” According to the LCRCA, the collaboration has included detailed technical exchanges with K-Water and Sihwa Lake’s lead contractor, Daewoo E&C, providing insight into the design, construction, and operation of the world’s largest tidal power facility. Site visits to Sihwa Lake have also informed the Mersey project’s approach to operation and maintenance protocols. The Authority noted that learning from K-Water’s use of AI-powered modeling to maximize energy generation has been a key focus. The Mersey tidal team has developed its own predictive model to optimise hydrodynamics, with work underway to explore how both systems can be integrated for future tidal developments. “K-water first established its connection with LCRCA three years ago, and today we have signed an MoA for the Mersey tidal and carbon-neutral technology cooperation here in Liverpool. I hope that through this event, our cooperative relationship will strengthen, ensuring the successful development of the Mersey tidal project and advancing our efforts for carbon neutrality,” said Jang Byeong-Hoon, Executive Vice-President of K-Water. Since the original MoA with K-Water was signed in December 2022, the Liverpool City Region has expanded its cooperation with South Korea. In 2023, it signed a five-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Busan Metropolitan City to promote collaboration in digital innovation, smart cities, clean energy, and health. According to the LCRCA, the River Mersey’s natural characteristics – a narrow entrance opening into a wide lagoon with a significant tidal range – make it a suitable site for large-scale tidal generation. The project, now progressing through the planning process, would employ proven technology to supply renewable energy for more than 120 years while also contributing to flood protection and regional industry. K-Water operates the Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Plant, which has produced 552 GWh of renewable electricity annually since 2011, offsetting around 862,000 barrels of oil per year. The state-owned company manages South Korea’s water resources, including dams, estuary dykes, and canal systems, and oversees water supply, quality control, and renewable energy initiatives across the country. In January, the first public engagement for the Mersey tidal power project saw that 84% of the respondents from the Liverpool City Region supported the project.
